Oh, and they’ll have more fun doing it.

Badges, awards, percentages, it all adds up to the rush of completing something. Especially if there are lots of modules and it seems like a never-ending task, adding in elements of gamification can help keep up motivation and energy and, best of all, completion rates.

Because as an online course creator, that’s what you really want: you want them to complete the course.

Anything (and everything) helps:

Badges: for completing a section.

Awards: for doing something fast or well or _________ (it doesn’t matter!).

Percentage markers: how far have I come and how far do I have to go?

Contact: emails after completing a module, remind them you’re there to help, that they’re not alone.

Prizes: reward them with something real, maybe even tangible, something more than a (digital) badge. Get creative.